Sex with a Brain Injury

On Concussion and Recovery

De: Annie Liontas

Narrado por: Natalie Naudus

For readers of Meghan O’Rourke’s The Invisible Kingdom, Esmé Weijun Wang’s The Collected Schizophrenias, and Melissa Febos’s Girlhood, a powerful and deeply personal memoir in essays that sheds light on the silent epidemic of head trauma.

Annie Liontas suffered multiple concussions in her thirties. In Sex with a Brain Injury, she writes about what it means to be one of the “walking wounded,” facing her fear, her rage, her physical suffering, and the effects of head trauma on her marriage and other relationships. Forced to reckon with her own queer mother’s battle with addiction, Liontas finds echoes in their pain. Liontas weaves history, philosophy, and personal accounts to interrogate and expand representations of mental health, ability, and disability—particularly in relation to women and the LGBT community. She uncovers the surprising legacy of brain injury, examining its role in culture, the criminal justice system, and through historical figures like Henry VIII and Harriet Tubman. Encountering Liontas’s sharp, affecting prose, the reader can imagine this kind of pain, and having to claw one’s way back to a new normal. The hidden gift of injury, Liontas writes, is the ability to connect with others.

For the millions of people who have suffered from concussions and for those who have endeavored to support loved ones through the painful and often baffling experience of head trauma, this astonishing and compassionate narrative offers insight and hope in equal measure.

©2024 Annie Liontas (P)2024 Simon & Schuster Audio

Thank you Annie fir finding the words i couldn't.. In 13 yests

On 9th September 2012...my life changed forever....and every time the date comes, I can't do anything else but remember and think about all I've learned..funny cause, at the time, I wasn't fully aware of the damage which had worsened and worse during the years....just a few broken bones....yeah...I didn't know how a traumatic brain injury could change your life, and neither did my friends or family.

THE INVISIBLE ILLNESS. An illness which changes everything forever, basically daily and that nobody notices because....we don't carry visible wounds.....
I recently read a fantastic book (clearly, during all these years, I've read hundreds of books, but this book somehow described precisely how I feel in a way no other book did..either too scientific or too poor me blah...

S@X WITH A BRAIN INJURY BY ANNIE LIONTAS is a groundbreaking book that tackles an often overlooked and sensitive subject: how brain injuries impact a person's life. The book is exceptional in its approach, offering practical advice, emotional support, and scientific insight into an issue that remains under-discussed yet affects countless individuals and their relationships.

One of the most striking aspects of brain injuries is how invisible many of the effects can be. While physical injuries are more visible and often receive the most immediate attention, cognitive and emotional changes can linger, causing significant disruptions in daily life. Simple daily life problems, including dealing with other humans, are often unspoken aspects, yet they are central to one’s overall well-being, self-esteem, and relationships. Liontas's book fills a void by addressing how brain injuries can affect emotional intimacy and communication within relationships.

For people with brain injuries, many might struggle with altered moods, personality shifts, cognitive impairments, or even many physical challenges (such as chronic pain) that make life difficult or very different from what it was before. These challenges, often intensely private, are rarely talked about openly with medical professionals, family, and friends because we are always fine, always just fine, arent we.....
One of the book’s most powerful elements is its inclusion of personal stories from individuals who have experienced brain injuries. Their voices offer raw, real-life perspectives, making the book deeply relatable for others facing similar struggles. These stories can make readers feel less isolated in their experiences.

For those who have experienced brain injuries, the life after is often an area clouded by shame, confusion, or misunderstanding. Medical professionals may focus on cognitive recovery or physical rehabilitation without addressing what happens to the before trauma and after, leaving many people with brain injuries feeling neglected in their lives.

The book sheds light on this unseen struggle, which changes life forever. While the world moves on as if everything should be the same, you’re left battling the emotional, mental, and physical fallout—often alone, mostly alone. People around you may not realize the depth of your pain because there are no visible scars. They may assume you’re okay, or worse, label you as brutal or unloving when you’re just trying to cope with the overwhelming challenges that come with the injury.

The isolation that follows can be unbearable. You lose parts of yourself and your identity, and even your relationships can suffer. The very people who are supposed to support you might not understand at all...or only understand logically. Still, you can't deal with the emotions, and that sense of loneliness can suffocate. It's hard to explain the complexity of what you’re going through, if not impossible.

This book did it for me.
This book helped me see that many others in my situation share these feelings and spoke as if it were my own voice finally able to get out how I feel. It gives voice to the silent struggles of brain injury survivors and validates the intense loneliness and emotional pain we often hide from the world. It also emphasizes the importance of communication and patience, even when those around us fall short in understanding. While reading it won’t fix everything, it offers comfort in knowing you’re not alone in this invisible battle, so if you, a friend, family or acquaintance need to voice how they feel after an almost deadly TBI, I strongly recommend you buy this book for them.

So, one day at a time, I carry on, sometimes shocked at the resistance in the loneliness,, that I am still yere, that I haven't given up....... as it's not getting easier.

favorite memoir of the past year (or more)

Beautifully and compellingly written, both deeply personal and meticulously researched. This book is a huge contribution to our understanding of the brain, its injuries, and its resilience--and to the dynamics of personality, hope, and the rest of the often messy business of being human.

TW- suicide mentions, Artfully written, real and raw

If you are looking for a book that is honest, raw and real about mTBI this is it. No toxic positivity, but some hope. Artfully crafted and told with heart- read with an easy to hear voice. Like many with PPCS there is mention of suicide and suicide ideation. A must read for providers that care for those w TBI and families. Likely hearing it will help you feel seen and known, a gift in an in invisible, isolating condition.